Martin O’Neill, Celtic F.C.’s new temporary coach, shows why he accepted the contract and made an unexpected comeback to Celtic Park.

Martin O’Neill said that he was surprised by the opportunity to return to the dugout and that his return to Celtic is just temporary.

After Brendan Rodgers abruptly resigned, the 73-year-old will serve as acting manager alongside Shaun Maloney. Dermot Desmond, the club’s primary stakeholder, made a strong-worded statement accusing the departing manager of causing division within the team after Celtic revealed on Monday night that Rodgers had submitted his resignation.

Before Wednesday’s match against Falkirk, Rodgers leaves Parkhead with Celtic eight points behind Premiership leaders Hearts, after having won 11 trophies in two stints.

O’Neill said on TalkSPORT that he was “shocked” when Desmond called to offer him the position, saying:

“It was hard to refuse the man who hired me twenty-five years ago. After I regained consciousness, I considered doing it.

O’Neill stated unequivocally that his appointment is only temporary:

“I really do think that interim means that.” Celtic is probably searching for a younger coach who can lead the team.

He went on to say that winning games is his top priority right now in order to “buy some time” for the team to hire a new manager.

Maloney, who rejoined Celtic in June as manager of player pathways, will join O’Neill. The club did not include assistant manager John Kennedy in their announcement.

The Premier Sports Cup semi-final matchup against Rangers at Hampden on Sunday, the Europa League match against Midtjylland, and Kilmarnock prior to the international break are all on Celtic’s itinerary.

Desmond’s scathing remarks revealed intense internal strife, alleging that Rodgers had misled supporters, fabricated contract negotiations, and stoked animosity toward the board over a summer tainted by Champions League disappointment and transfer angst.

Following Brendan Rodgers’ unexpected departure, Celtic has turned to a familiar face in Martin O’Neill, hiring the 73-year-old as interim manager.
O’Neill makes it obvious that his position is only temporary while the team looks for a long-term replacement when he returns to the dugout with Shaun Maloney as his assistant.

The renowned former Celtic manager acknowledged that the contact took him by surprise, but he agreed to intervene in order to assist the Hoops get back on track following a tumultuous few weeks.

Dermot Desmond, the owner, responded bluntly, accusing Rodgers of inciting unrest and lying about his role in transfer negotiations.
Rodgers’ trophy-filled career comes to an abrupt end as a result of European defeats and disputes over recruitment strategy, leaving Parkhead eight points behind leaders Hearts.